Beginner scope questions

Most likely, either the scope is not perfectly level on the gun, or (more likely) you are not holding the rifle perfectly level while firing (or both). Also, with cheap scopes (and I have and still own plenty), their manufacturing tolerances could mean that the ADJUSTMENTS aren't perfectly level.

I know this is one more thing to have to concentrate on, but, while sighting a scope in, I try to make sure my horizontal crosshair lines up with the horizontal center of my target, so that adjustments reflect what I see on the paper.

Tomahawk674 said:

And no, I didn't mount the scope 90 degrees rotated; it's a bushnell and I put one turret to the left, and turret on top. I beleive the elevation turret goes on the left to keep the hand working the action clear. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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AFAIK yes, you are wrong. Except for some oddball ones, commercial scopes are mounted elevation top, windage right side. Not the first time someone has done it, though. I remember hearing of one guy who mounted his scope backwards...

Bushnell for decades on decades has put elevation on top and windage on the right side.

I don't think I've ever seen a scope without the elevation dial on top and windage on the right side. I've seen some guys mount them 90 degrees off so that they used the windage dial to adjust elevation and had the elevation dial on the left side and use it to adjust windage. Mostly on large caliber dangerous game rifles. This creates more space to quickly reload and reduces the possibility of ejected brass hitting the windage dial and causing a malfunction.

Your thoughts on having more space to work the action is a good one though and does make sense. Personally I'd like to see them made that way for exactly the reasons you had. I'd mount mine 90 degrees off, but most of mine have long range hash marks or dots. Wouldn't work well unless I could also get the cross hairs mounted at 90 degrees as well

I just looked up pictures of bushnell rimfire scopes and they all seem to be left turrets.

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If they are on the left they are either mounted wrong or the image has been reversed before publishing the photos. That happens quite a lot with photos.

Tomahawk674 said:

And no, I didn't mount the scope 90 degrees rotated; it's a bushnell and I put one turret to the left, and turret on top. I beleive the elevation turret goes on the left to keep the hand working the action clear. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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Someone might have reversed the turret faces in the past for clearance on another rifle, say a left handed one-it happens. They should unscrew or pull out if you want to reverse them.

82% of the world is right handed.
The dominant hand is typically better fo fine motor skills.
Ergo, turrets--especially finger-adjustable ones--ought be top and right side.

Had a bro who was all smug about his scope install--with the turrets at 45º to the vertical centerline. At least until he took it to the range.

I put one turret to the left, and turret on top. I beleive the elevation turret goes on the left to keep the hand working the action clear. Correct me if I'm wrong.

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Yes you are wrong. I've done it this way on purpose once mounting a scope on an M1A (semi M14) with a Basset mount ejection was beating up the turret cover and causing stovepipe stoppages.

Its your gun and scope, you can mount it as you like, but if you do it differently than designed it'll be confusing in the long run.

Scope turrets have screw tip flats that push against the inner scope tube. That tube moves in the same plane the adjustment screw does. It's back end is held centered in the outer tube.

Welcome to the Triple-M (Mental Mistake Makers) Club. We're all members. New members are automatically our treasurer and get to spend all our money.

Bushnell's web site may have a manual for your scope. Here's an example

Http://bushnell.com/getmedia/1c8359...iflescopes_BASIC_5LIM_102913_web.pdf?ext=.pdf

It's instructions say to put the elevation adjustment at the top.

Yep, you have that scope mounted incorrectly. The windage turret should be on the right.

If one is shooting with a sling, you can't make adjustments with your left hand without throwing your posture all awry, so the adjustment is best made with your right hand.

Not that this is an issue that you have now, but be aware that sometimes the adjustments on "lesser-expensive" scopes do not always operate as advertised. I had a $99 Simmons one time (BIG purxhase miastake!) that was a toss-up as to what the reticle was actually going to do when you expected it to do something else.

When sighting in your scope shoot at the center then put your crosshairs back on the center of your target and look through the scope and have a friend turn your scope adjustments and take the crosshairs back to the bullet hole, if you have a good rest on your gun or vice you will drive the center out of the target the next shot.

Tomahawk674 said:

MISTERY SOLVED!

You guys won't believe this, but the control names on this scope I have are reversed. The top turret is labeled as windage, the dial says "Right" with an arrow showing were to turn. The side turret says "UP" showing the arrow. I don't know how this could happen, I doubt it came like that from factory.

Once I started using the top for elevation and side for windage, I had it sighted in after a while. I watched some youtube videos and got it done.

Seriously, what are the odds. I don't know if this guy took out the adjustments completely and swapped them.

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Someone at the factory put the wrong cap on the wrong adjustment

CapnMac said:

82% of the world is right handed.
The dominant hand is typically better fo fine motor skills.
Ergo, turrets--especially finger-adjustable ones--ought be top and right side.

Click to expand...

I'm old school. Sight the rifle in, then keep your booger hooks off the adjustments.

Some of the newer scopes have giant pill-bottle-sized knobs for the "operator" types to play with. Proper scopes are adjusted with a screwdriver and have low-profile caps that thread on to keep people from messing with the adjustments.

Excuse me, I have to go tell some kids to get off my lawn...